Elmer Crowell Early Miniature Waterfowl Set

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1915 goose is 5 3/4 in. long

Crowell created three varieties of miniature bird carving sets, each with twenty-five pieces. These sets were of either waterfowl, shorebirds, or songbirds, which he sold to not only his decoy buyers and seasonal tourists, but also schools and museums around the nation for species identification purposes.

This important, newly-discovered group of miniatures represents a full Crowell waterfowl set, numbered one through twenty-five on the underside of each carving. Each bird is original to this set. The vast majority of the original Crowell sets have been broken up over the years, making this a rare opportunity to acquire a single flock with remarkable consistency from bird to bird.

This is one of the earliest complete sets known to exist. This lot includes the following birds listed by their assigned number. Crowell’s names are included in parentheses.

1. Mallard drake 2. Mallard hen 3. Pintail drake 4. Pintail hen 5. Redhead drake 6. Redhead hen 7. Bufflehead drake 8. Bufflehead hen 9. Bluebill drake 10. Bluebill hen 11. Red-Breasted Merganser drake 12. Red-Breasted Merganser hen 13. Canvasback drake 14. Canvasback hen 15. Green-Winged Teal drake 16. Brant 17. American merganser drake (gooseander) 18. Blue-Winged Teal drake 19. Hooded Merganser drake 20. Black Duck 21. Goldeneye drake 22. Long-Tailed Duck drake (old squaw) 23. Wood Duck drake 24. Ruddy Duck drake 25. Canada Goose The set as a whole is in excellent original paint with minor wear and rubs. Ruddy duck, canvasback drake, and hooded merganser have very minor chips to bill tips. Bufflehead hen and goldeneye drake have partial bill replacements. Red-breasted merganser hen has a crack in bill. Canada goose has an age line in neck with minor flaking. Canvasback hen is missing its bill. Bluebill hen has chip to tail.

Provenance: Private Collection, Philadelphia, acquired from the maker and by descent in the family

Literature: A. E. Crowell, “Cape Cod Memories,” in "Duck Shooting Along the Atlantic Tidewater," Eugene V. Connett, ed., New York, NY, 1947, pp. 59-60.  Brian Cullity, "The Songless Aviary," Hyannis, MA, 1992, pp. 90-99, similar birds illustrated.  Stephen B. O'Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, "Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving," Hingham, MA, 2019, pp. 240-241, similar set illustrated.

Provenance

Private Collection, Philadelphia, acquired from the maker and by descent in the family